Monday, February 21, 2005
'Ctrl-Alt-Protect'?
Would that protecting online kids were as simple as hitting the Ctrl, Alt, and "Protect" keys on the family PC! "For some parents, the idea of vulnerable [young] minds trolling cyberspace is as frightening as seeing a fourth grader driving, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. But are they doing something about it? A recent survey by the New York-based Conference Board indicated they are - that 95% of US parents say they monitor their children's online activities (see "Parents monitor kids," 1/21). The Inquirer took a hard look at the survey. If nothing else, the article suggests, the figure shows a healthy increased awareness: "It's significantly higher than any other previous survey findings, perhaps reflective of parents knowing that they should be scrutinizing what the computer is spilling into their homes - whether they really are or not." Experts quoted in the piece were skeptical of the 95% figure. But what really matters is how much communication there is between parent and child about what the latter is doing, seeing, and talking about on the Net. David Walsh, president of the Minneapolis-based National Institute on Media and the Family, "remains convinced" that "there is precious little inter-generational communication about cyberspace." The Inquirer goes on to give anecdotes about how some parents in the Philadelphia area are monitoring their kids - always the best part of articles like this. [The Duluth (MN) News Tribune also ran this article.]
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